The actor-activist, who recently made her directorial debut with Booksmart, shares her Golden State musts
As told to ANUSH J. BENLIYAN
Where do you live?
Silver Lake. It’s great for kids; there’s lots of space, and beautiful parks and playgrounds.
Favorite hike?
Temescal Canyon has these extraordinary views of the ocean, and there’s one section where you walk through what feels like a tunnel of trees. It’s really magical.
Favorite beach?
Now that I have kids, the Santa Monica Pier is suddenly something I really appreciate. It feels old-fashioned in the best possible way.
Favorite getaway?
I love Big Sur — no huge shocker there. Post Ranch Inn is hard to beat for special occasions.
Favorite hotel?
Sparrows Lodge is a lovely boutique hotel in Palm Springs with fire pits and a swimming pool, and really, really great bloody marys.
Go-to restaurants?
In Silver Lake, Night + Market Song is my favorite Thai restaurant in L.A. It has the best pad thai I’ve ever had, and it delivers well. Pad thai is supposed to be a saucy noodle dish, and when you order it from another restaurant, it comes in one solid brick and it’s never saucy enough, except from Night + Market — they know how to do it. And Alimento in Silver Lake, the Italian spot, has a grüner on tap, and their radiatori is really incredible. They also have a chicken Milanese sandwich which is just amazing.
Favorite drink?
I love mezcal negronis. They do a beautiful one at Downtown L.A.’s In Sheep’s Clothing, where the bartenders spin vinyl.
Favorite California vineyard?
Scarecrow is a beautiful family-run vineyard with exceptional wines. Perfect for a special occasion.
Favorite museum?
I’m always in search of great kids’ museums, so I’ve been taking them to LACMA, the Natural History Museum and the California Science Center.
Where do you take visiting friends?
Asanebo on Ventura Boulevard. Sushi is plentiful in Los Angeles, but this is the best, hands down.
Where do you get your hair done?
Mare. I go there for cut, color and blowout, and they have an amazing jewelry boutique in the front.
What do you wear by day?
Amo jeans, a white x Karla T-shirt, a Foundrae necklace, white Air Force Ones and my new favorite Marc Jacobs hat.
What do you wear in the evenings?
At night I put on a La Ligne dress and grab my Balenciaga leather jacket.
Favorite spa?
Golden Door near Escondido. It’s much more than a spa, it’s a wellness destination. After a week, I feel like I’ve been reborn.
Favorite exercise?
SoulCycle. Seeing [master instructor] Angela Manuel-Davis is as much a soul workout as it is a physical one.
Favorite beauty products?
True Botanicals changed my skin. They have a new Calming CBD body oil and Calming CBD bath soak crystals with the most amazing scent.
Favorite drive?
Driving up the 1 — I stop at all the touristy things like the Madonna Inn and Hearst Castle. It’s so fun.
Feature image: OLIVIA WILDE. Photo by Thomas Slack.
This story originally appeared in the Summer 2019 issue of C Magazine and has been updated as of June 19, 2019.
Discover more MY CALIFORNIA guides.
